Registering mechanism



April 29 1924.

Ff F. BORSE-Y REGISTERING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 20. 1921 a 263453- Invnar M Patented Apr. 29, 1924.

Es v'Pari-:NT OFFICE.

EARNUH F. DoasEY, or ROCHESTER, NEW Yoan, AssIGNoB 'ro Non'rn EAST ELECTRIC Comm, or nocnnsrnn, -NEW Yoax, A conromifrrgn or NEW Yonx.

REGISTERING Application illed August 20, 1921. Serial No. 493,964. l

To all whom t may concern..I l

Be it known that I, FARNUM F. DoRsEr,` a citizen of the United States, residing atl Rochester, in the county of Monroe. and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Register- A ing Mechanism; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap rtains, to make and use the same. p

his invention relates to instruments in whichrotations or other movements are registered by a train of rotary number-wheels. The invention is lparticularly applicable to odometers, but may be useful in'connection with instruments for various other purposes. The object of the invention is to provide an instrument, of the type in question, with improved .means for resetting the numberwheels either to zero lor to any desired'number withintheir scope. In some previous instruments of the type in question it has been customary to provide resetting means by which the wheels may all be quickly reset to zero by movement in one direction, but

'in such instruments there has been no provision or'setting the wheels to any other number. In other instruments it has been customary to provide resetting means by which the wheel of lowest denomination may be turned in either direction, the other 'wheels being moved in train by 'the action of the usaraltransfer mechanism. In such instruments'the wheels 'may be set to any desired number, but the operation is comparatively slow and laborious.

In accordance with lthe present invention, resetting means are provided by which motion in one direction results 'in quickly aligning :similar digits on the numberwheelsand turningthe wheels simultaneously to zero or to any number in which the digits are all similar, and by which rotation in the opposite direction may be imparted to the wheel of lowest denomination and from this wheel to the others in train. By the comof these two modes of motion the' 'wheels may 'be quickly reset to any desired number.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth hereinafter, in connection with the description of the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

Il In the accompanying drawingsLFig. 1 is t MECHANISM.

a vertical sectional View of odometer mechamsm embodying the present invention, approximately on the line`v 1-1 in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, approximately on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a'vertical section of the number wheels and their su porting and actuating means, approximatey on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation --showing certain details ofthe' resetting-mechanism. Fig. 5 is a -frontelevation of two adjacent number-wheels,

partly in section. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the pand-springs for aligning the number-wheels. fv The invention is illustrated as embodied in an odometer' such as is used for registering the distance travelled by a vehicle,l and only so much of the instrument is shown as is necessary for an understanding of the invention. The yinstrument isl provided, vas usual, withl two sets, 10 and 11, of numberwheels, the set 10 being used to register. the total distance travelled, while the wheels 11 constitute-means for registering trips. Only the latter set is arranged to 'be reset.

The odometer is driven by a vertical worm 12, which is connected in-any suitable manner with the mechanism of the vehicle. This worm is journalledin the frame 13 of the instrument, and the frame and the mechanism are enclosed in a metal casing'14, of which only portions are shown. The front of the casing is provided with -openings covered with 'sheets l5 of trans arent material, through which `the num er-wheels are visible.

The means for supporting and driving the i wheels 1() are immaterial to the present .invention and are not shown. The wheels 11 are in the. form of rings, arranged to turn on a ,stationary drum 16, which is hollow throughout most of itsV length but is provided with an integral closed head 17 and a removable head or plate 18 at the opposite end. These heads are erforated to receive a central shaft 19, whic serves as a support for the drum, the shaft being journalled in' the frame 13.

The number-wheels are rotated 'through the agency of epicycloidal gearing comprising a gear-wheel 2O which meshes'with the worm 12. Thewheel 20 bears and rotates upon two central gears 21 and 22, and it also constitutes a carrier for two planetary pinions 23; which :mesh with the gears 21 and 22 and turn freely in recesses in the carrier. The gears 21 and 22. altho ot the sume diameter, have different numbers of teeth, so that each revolution ot the pinions 23 around the gears results in a slight differential rotation of the gears.

By means ot' a sleeve 24 the gear 22 is iixed to the-head 17 ot the drum 16'and also to a plate 25, and the several parts so connected are held against relative rotation by a pin 26. The plate 23' engages a suitable abutment on Oropening in the frame 13, being thereby held against rotation, so that the drum 16 and the gear 22 are stationary, tho supported on the rotatable shaft 19.

rl`he lgear 21 is fastened to the shaft 19 b v a pin 2S, and is thus also secured to a sleeve 27 by which it is connected with mechanism tor actuating the wheels 10. This mechanism maybe of anyusual or suitable form and is therefore notl tullyshown nor described.A Since the gear 22 is held against rotation` the eti'ect of the epicycloidal gearing is imparted wholly to the gear 21, from which it is transmitted` through the shaftl 19 to the initial wheel of the series 11.

The epicycloidal drive-mechanism consti.- tutes no part of the. present invention, and is therefore not claimed herein.

F or the convenience in manufacture the number-wheels 11 are all made exactly.

similar in form. Each wheel is provided, on one side, with a continuous set of internal gear-teeth 29 (Fig. el) and on the opposite side with twoteeth 30 (-Fig-3). Motion is transferred from each wheel to the next by a transfer-pinion 31. these pinions being mounted to turn freely on a shaft 32 mounted in the heads of the drum 16. At each complete rotation of the number-wheels (except that of the highest denominatiom) the two teeth 3() ont-he one wheel impart a partial rotation to the corresponding pinion 3l, and'this pinion transmits the motion to the lteeth 29 of the adjacent numberwheel. thus causingr one-tenth of a rotation of the latter. y

The pinion-31 and the number-wheels are normally held against rotation by yielding spring-pressed detente in the form of plates 33, which slide vertically between spacers 53 in the interior of the drum 16 and are pressed upwardly by springs 34. `Thefforlred upper end ot cach plate 33 bears against two teeth ofthe pinion 31 and tends to prevent rotation of the latter, and also to insure that. it shallnormally move to and remain in a position suitable for engagement with the two teeth 30 by which it is actuated. Then the pinion is so actuated, howeverv` the detent-plate yields downwardly to permit the pinion to rotate.

The novel construction just described is particularly useful in connection with re setting-mechanism of the type herein dei,492,soa

scribed. but it may also be used in registering-mechanisms without provision for resetting or with resetting devices of other 'or ordinary form.

To permit resetting in the manner char- 7 acteristic of the present invention, the first wheel of the train 11 is connectedwith the shaft 19 through a friction-clutch shown in Figs. 2 and 4. A drum 35 is pinned on the shaft. and is embraced by a helical spring 7 36 having outwardly-bent ends. During normal operationv the end 37 engages a shoulder 38 on a member 39 which is attached to the primary number-wheel 11, so that the clockwise rotation of the shaft (as 5 seen in Fig. 4) causes the spring, through its trictional engagement with the drum 35, to drive the number-wheel. Any resistance -oi the wheel to such motion causes the spring to clasp the drum the more tightly, 8 so that the Jfriction is always suiiicient for the purpose.

The member 39 may be punched from -sheet-metaLin a form to fit closely in the recess within the gear-teeth 29 on the pri- 9 mary number-wheel, and it is provided with three teeth 40 which engage spaces between the teeth 29. p This arrangement provides the primary wheeljvith the abutments or shoulders necessary for cooperation with the` 9 spring 36, and permits the use of a primary wheel similar in all resp'ects to the other number-wheels, the gear-teeth 29 serving, in this instance, merely to provide a means of connection with the member 39. 1 The resetting mechanism characteristic of the present invention comprises a recessed wheel 41 which turns loosely on the drum 35 and overhangs the clutch-spring 36. A pin 42 is xed in the wheel 41 in position l to be interposed between the ends of the clutch-spring. A thumb-wheel43, j ournalled or a stud 44 on the frame of the instrument, is provided with gear-teeth which mesh with teeth on the resetting-wheel 41. The thumbl wheel projects through a slot or opening in the front of the casing 14, so that itmay be rotated manually in either direction, the

.gear-teeth providing a roughened surface 'convenient for thepurpose.

Then the resetting-wheel is rotated in a clock-wise' directiom the pin 42 presses the end 37 of the clutch-spring against the shoulder 38 and thus drives the primary number-wheel in the normal direction, the l motion being transmitted to the othernumber-wheels through the' transfer-pinions, so that in this way the odometer may beset or advanced unit-b v-unit. Since the clutch drum 35 cannot participate in this movement the l" clutch-spring slides upon it, the resistance dueto this cause being slight owing to the fact that it is in a direction to uncoil the spring. i

When the resetting-wheel is turned coun m ter-clockwise, the pin 42 engages the other end 45 of the clutch-spring and presses it against a second shoulder 46 on the member` abrupt shoulder 48, these shoulders facing in opposite directions on opposite sides of the wheel. The chnnels'in the meeting faces of adjacent wheels form a closed annular recess, and in each such recess is enclosed a split ring 49 of sprin -metal,`l the ends of which are bent apart aterally -so that they tend to spring into the deeper parts of the channels and enga e the shoulders 48, as shown in Fig. 5. uring rotation of the number-wheels in the normal direct-ion the pawl-springs 49 merely snap idly ,over the shoulders,`but when the wheels are rotated reversely by the resetting-mechanism the springs engage the shoulders positively, and thus transmit rotation in unison from each wheel to the next, while also aligning'the wheels with similar di ts inline. as'I gl To reset the wheels to zero it is necessary merely to turn "them backward untilA the aligned zeros come into view, an operation .which requires, in no case, more turns than next below that required, and then turn the the number of number-wheels in train. To-

reset the wheels to any required number, it is preferable to turn the wheels backwardly until thealigned digits show the number resetting mechanism forwardly until the' necessary number of units have been added. Thus, for example, if the number 843 were desired, the mechanism would be turned backwardly to align the digits and bring the number 777 into view, and then forwardly to 843.

The invention is not 'limited to the embodiment thereof .hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings, but it may coaxial train of number-wheels; transfergearing, interconnecting the wheels and adapted to cause' serial movement thereof yin a forward direction, and ieldable to permit i rotation of the wheels in ependently of the operation of the gearing; manually operable means for rotating the initial wheel in either direction to reset the mechanism; and ratchet-conections, between each pair of adjacent wheels, arranged to communicate reverse rotation from each wheel directly to the next higher wheel in series.

2. Register-i11g-mechanism comprising; a coaxial trai-n of number-wheels: transfergearing, interconnecting the wheels and adapted to cause serial movement thereof in a; forward direction. and yieldable to permit rotation of the wheels independently of the operation of the gearing; ratchet-connections, between eachl adjacent pair of wheels, arranged to permit each wheel to overrun the next higher wheel, but to prevent reverse relative. rotation; and manually-operable resetting means operative, through the transfer-gearing, to reset the wheels serially, and operative, through the ratchet-connections, to reset the wheels simultaneously.

3. Registering-mechanism comprising: a train of number-wheels; a rotary resettingmember; and connections, between the number-wheels and the resetting-member, whereby rotation of the resetting-member in one direction resets the number-wheels seriallyand rotation of the resetting-member in the opposite direction resets the number-wheels simultaneously.

4. Registering-mechanism comprising: a train of number-wheels; amanually-operable resetting-member; and connections between the number-wheels and the resetting- -member whereby the number-wheels ma be reset in series or simultaneously at wil 5. Registering-mechanism comprising: a train of number-wheels; a manually-oper-- able resetting-member; and connections between the-numbcr-wheels and the resettingmember whereby the number-wheels may be rotated in series in one direction, and simultaneously in the opposite direction.

6. Registering-mechanism comprising: a train of number-wheels; ratchet-connections between the lwheels for causing them to rotate simultaneously when one of the terminal wheels of the train is rotated in a givendirection; and resetting-means for so rotating said terminal 'wheel and for alternatively rotating the primary wheel in a direction to cause rotation of the wheels in series.

f7. Registering-mechanism vcom rising: a. train of number-wheels provide with recesses in their adjacent faces, said recesses being provided with oppositely-directed shoulders; and spring-pawls in the recesses cooperating with said shoulders to cause simultaneous rotation of the wheels in one direction of movement.

8. ylt,egistering-mechanism comprising: a train of number-wheels provided with annular recesses in their adjacent faces, saidvrecesses being provided with oppositely directedshoulders; and spring-pawls located in `the;irecesses and cooperating with-said shoulders therein', each pawl having the orm of a resilient `split ring. i

9. Registering-mechanism comprising: a cylindrical support; a series of annular number-wheels mounted and rotatable thereon, each wheel being provided with internal gear-teeth on 'both sides and with annular recesses in its lateral faces outside said gearteeth; transfer-pinions mounted on said snpport Within the number-Wheels and cooperating with the gear-teeth thereon; and spring-paWls. located in said recesses and operable to limit relative rotation of the number-Wheels in one direction.

10. Registering-mechanism comprising: a train of coaxial number-Wheels having number-bearing rims; ratchet-connections, between adjacent faces of the Wheels, located near their'said rims andA arranged to permit each wheel to overrun the next adjacent higher wheel but t0 prevent reverse relative rotation; transfer-gearing located- Within the peripheries of the Wheels and within the paths of inovementof said ratchet-connections; and manually-operable means for r0- tating a terminal Wheel of the series t0 reset the number-Wheels.

FARNUM F. DORSEY. 

